New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-14
HIS OWN PUBLISHER.
An INTERVIEW WITH MR.. RUSKINS PUB
Usher.
From The Pail Mall Gdset'e.


From The Pail Mall Gdzete
In continuation of our description OF this publishing
establishment we give below report OF some t the
..,s;l. with which Mr.. Allen was Kind enough to
furnish representative:
Mr.. RUsKIN's REVOLT.
Il could even sell my books said Mr. Kuskin ten
wears ago in Fore tor not inconsderaolo sums
nancy II chose TO bride the reviewers, pay hall OF ali
GET tn the booksellers, stick bills on the lamppostS
an saw nothing but what would please the Bishop OF
Peterborough. l could say a great deal that wonia
nease him aud vet be very govd and useful should
like much again be terms with my old puDlisher
and hear him telling nice stories over our walnuts
thi. Christmas after dividing his years spoil with me
in Cbristma. charity" Remembering this passage.
and others of about the same date, In which Mr..
Ruskn spoke, at the outset OF ms s aghss
il entailed on him, asked Mr. Alien no the fortune
Of war had gone since them 1" 1t has been winning
game SAID NJ. Allen. - and a gradually expanding
EMPLOYING to sell 'Fors Sldvigera. ms orlgihai
battle was against the bookseilns trade oay Messrs
them Mr. Ruskin objected to the principle OF dis
counts ana abate adopted by the booksellers,
and q as TO sell Fors at fixed prlce to all cQmers.
Then came the Revised series OF his already COM
pie.ed works ('Sesame ana Lilies, etc., these
originally bore the double imprint OF Messrs. Smith
Elder g. Co. and myself. They were sold-in purple
c.f bindings onlyin both cases on the same terms as
.Fors' After 1873 Mr.. Ruskins connection with his
old publishers ceased and he gradually threw al ms
fishing tor Mr.. Colingwood and other authors beside
Mr. Kuskn. l am an engraver, and had no special
knowledge OF the puDIsnlne trauc Out tne
business has gro wn and grown ever since
A SUCCESSFUL AUTHORS PROFITS.
9T;u II has reached-whatl" "Wel, Mr. Ruskn
bas instructed me to tell you everything you care to
ask; 90 l shall break no confidence II show you
these accounts For instance from the new EDITION OF
The stones of Vepice' Mr.. Ruskin has received
ALREADY sl,5s3 clear profits, besides leaving -
copies io that his greatest
wear So lar think the Seven Lamps OF Architec-
fure' has done best The authors clear profits from
the editions have published OF R aha G0ok na,s
into further details l may tell you that last year
Qss6) was able to pay over to Mr. Raskn as his
Should add the tact that durag the year greatly
Increased the value of his stock Tor instance by
the ney edition OF s OF AND e n,os
will come steadily in" 1t will be seen that Mr..
Ruskns royalties if one puts his profits that way are
Seven Lamps" at 81 Is. brought him clear profit
ofa99l, equivalent to royalty OF los. copy And
this. SO tar examined, was about the average rate
Thas to take a cheaper book. noticed that . 900
sygis. of Sesame and Lilies at o. brought '' III
THE PUBLISHERS COMMISSION
.And what if / may ask, is your arrangement
as publisher With Mr. kuskini" "Ipublish lor him
eimpiy on comm isson The accounts are all kept ON
his behalf be takes all the risks and all the profit on
of mis- outgoings Originally, as stated in Fors. he
proposed to share the net profits of that work with
author when his reputation Is already assured and he
accordingly paws me O commission Of much each
eopy sold the amount commission varying with the
price OF the book and with the kind and amount OF
trouble involved"
THE rAyoRITE BOOKS by MR.. RUsKIN
"You have given me some figures of the profits on
various books you give me any OF the sales. to
show their comparative popularity" MIR. Allen
readily complied with my srequest and drew up the
following table, showing the sales during 1886 of some
OF the more popular Of Mr.. Ruskins books:
Volumes
Sesame and Lilies tsman edition. 2l22
IfouQo9 AEfeStcs AZ
0tones Of Venice largo edition. $50
Vnto TINS olA
Ethics of s0s
Fora Caviecra volumes 0O..................... $50
Sever Lamps Of Architecture 665
Modern Panters Vol IL tsma edition. .-.---....- G52
Stones Of Venice (sms travellers edition, In Two vol.
uneel oacn O.g
YinS Of the Golden River ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1888
Of the books issuing in parts. the following figures
will be interesting:
PrRterits twenty parts issued ............. 633S6
The An Of kngand (seven parts ssued le2y
6oadsidc sengs Of Tuscany item parts issued. IS3y
The King Of the Golden River" 1t may be inter
esting to add largely bought by the London School
Board for prlies Mr.. Ruskin's Letter to Young
Girls" has also largo sale, 264 packets containing
S16S copies In a having been sold during last year
Mr. RUsKIN's READERS.
From the saea the conversation turned To the buv era